Intumescent Strips- Indispensable Fire Safety Tools

Clients, employees, properties- these are what keep a business alive. It is an indispensable duty for business owners and employees to keep these business assets- the clients, employees, and properties- from hazards. One of the most devastating hazards that ruin a business is fire accident. It is even more dangerous than bankruptcy. Along with the essential fire safety equipment that a safe workplace must have are the intumescent strips. Why are these strips necessary in protecting your business from fire accidents? How reliable are these strips in saving your business in the event of a fire outbreak?

Aside from the popular fire safety devices- fire extinguishers, fire blankets, fire hose reels, smoke detectors, fire alarms, and fire sprinklers- intumescent strips are also engineered with modern technology to maximize protection from fire outbreaks. During a fire outbreak in the workplace, trapped employees will have to find there way out in the shortest possible time. Otherwise, they will have to wait for rescuers or firefighters. This situation requires avoidance of getting suffocated.

This is what intumescent strips are needed for. When these strips are exposed to heat, they expand to seal the door frame. Typically, they can last for up to an hour. That is an ample time to keep a trapped victim away from suffocation while looking for a way out or waiting for rescuers. A very good new type of intumescent is the intumescent mastic, which is like a mastic sealant. It seals gaps and holes in a room, which are 25 mm wide. This kind of strip can last for up to four hours.

There are two types of intumescent strips. The first one, which is combined with hydrate, releases water to keep an item cool. It produces ash or a light char that prevents ignition. The hydrate helps to lengthen the time for the char to insulate against extremely hot temperature. This type is called the soft char intumescent. On the other hand, the second type produces agents that expand and fill spaces. Combined with sodium silicates or graphite, it effectively blocks out fire and smoke, which can easily enter or pass through spaces such as gaps and holes. This is the hard expanding intumescents. The soft char intumescent is used for fire-proof pillows while the hard expanding intumescents are for door seals.  


Without proper prevention and sufficient equipment, fire can take away everything from a business from valuable documents to valuable employees. Protecting the workplace calls for a sufficient fire safety plan and conforming to fire safety regulations. One part of this fire safety rules is placing intumescent strips in strategic locations in your workplace. These strips are highly reliable when it comes to giving a fire-proof barrier that seals gaps and holes in a room where fire can pass through. Hydrate, which is combined with the first type of intumescents, and sodium silicates or graphite, which are combined with the second one, help the strips to expand when exposed to heat, and thus, sealing gaps and holes in a room. These strips are undeniably very useful in saving trapped victims in case of fire.